Who Really Owns Employee Experience?

In today’s dynamic workplace, employee experience (EX) isn’t just an HR task—it’s a shared responsibility that stretches across HR, managers, IT, leadership, and even employees themselves. As the concept of EX continues to evolve, understanding who “owns” it is key to driving meaningful improvements in daily HR operations and boosting workforce engagement.

Recently, the HR research team at SAP conducted a study titled “What’s n(EX)t for EX ” exploring the evolving nature of EX, who owns it, how it’s measured, and the role AI will play in its future. This article summarizes the key findings.

From HR-Centric to a Shared Ownership Model

For those - like me (ahem!) - that has worked with HR for more than a few years, in the past, HR had the primary responsibility for shaping employee experience. Now, EX ownership has expanded, requiring collaboration across four other key groups—managers, IT, leadership, and employees. Each plays a unique role, with HR still at the heart of it all, orchestrating efforts and guiding the overall strategy.

HR's Evolving Role: It’s Not Just About Processes Anymore

While HR continues to manage critical processes like hiring, onboarding, and performance management, there's a growing emphasis on listening to employees. Enhancing EX requires active employee listening—whether through surveys, town halls, or social sentiment analysis—to understand what truly matters to employees. Without turning feedback into action, surveys can end up as just another source of frustration.

Solutions like SAP’s employee experience management tools by Qualtrics can make a real difference here, but is not the sole solution. By harnessing AI-powered insights, HR can identify “essential” factors—such as fair compensation, psychological safety, and effective tools—that are must-haves for a great employee experience. Beyond that, HR can focus on “enhancing” factors, like career development opportunities or flexible working, to create a workplace that stands out in the market. With digital workplace solutions like SuccessFactors Work Zone, companies can build the digital twin of the whiteboard, support better employee onboarding, knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Managers: The Day-to-Day Experience Makers

Let’s face it—managers make or break the everyday employee experience. Research shows that the quality of a manager’s communication, support, and competence directly affects team relationships and psychological safety. Yet many managers struggle to improve EX due to a lack of training or resources.

This is where SAP SuccessFactors steps in, with manager dashboards that offer personalized insights into team sentiment, making it easier to spot areas for improvement and develop top managerial talent. And with SAP SuccessFactors Learning, managers can access ongoing development resources tailored to their needs, while AI-driven recommendations support employees in discovering growth opportunities, fostering a culture of continuous development.

Leadership: Setting the Vision and Walking the Talk

The role of leadership in EX goes beyond setting the strategy. It’s about embodying the company’s values and priorities and reinforcing the importance of EX in every decision. Leaders should regularly communicate how employee feedback is shaping the company’s direction, building a culture of trust and transparency.

IT: Bringing the Tech That Powers Employee Experience

Let’s not forget IT’s crucial role in shaping the digital workplace. From managing the tools that employees use daily to deploying AI-driven solutions that personalize learning and career development, IT is foundational to a positive EX. With AI transforming how we work, SAP Business AI optimizes interactions to deliver tailored experiences and development plans for employees, ensuring that technology not only supports but also enhances daily work life.

What’s N(EX)t? Building an EX-Centric Culture

To create a truly transformative EX, it’s time to break down silos and adopt a cross-functional approach. Leveraging HR tech solutions like those from SAP can empower all stakeholders—HR, managers, IT, leadership, and employees—to take ownership of the employee experience.

Employee experience isn’t just a program or a department—it’s a shared mission. Let’s shape the future of work, together. Do you want to dive deeper into this topic? Feel free to reach out to me and ask questions and have a mutual benefitting dialogue. Together, let’s create a workplace where every employee feels heard, valued, and engaged.